Use Ansoffs matrix to evaluate the extent to which innovation has driven the development of Innocent ltd. The WritePass Journal

Use Ansoffs matrix to evaluate the extent to which innovation has driven the development of Innocent ltd.   Introduction Use Ansoffs matrix to evaluate the extent to which innovation has driven the development of Innocent ltd.   Introduction  1.  Evaluate the extent to which innovation has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present dayProduct DevelopmentMarket DevelopmentDiversification 2. Evaluate the extent to which entrepreneurship has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present day3. Evaluate the extent to which leadership styles has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present day4. Evaluate the extent to which both the strategic direction and the method of development chosen are suitableStrategic capabilityIntellectualFinancialHumanPhysicalIssues that face Innocent and Coca-ColaEthicsCompetitionCultureSuitabilityStep1- Create a sense of urgencyStep2-Pull together the guiding teamStep3- Develop the change vision and strategyStep4- Communicate the vision broadlyStep5- Empower others to actStep 6- Quick successStep7-Buil momentum and keep pushingStep8- Create a new culture ReferencesRelated   Introduction   1.  Evaluate the extent to which innovation has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present day To start off with Innocent only had one product which is their renowned smoothie made from squashed up fruits. After entering the market with their famous healthy juice they were able to provide themselves with sufficient finance, in 10 years they were able turn over  £110 million calculating out to  £6m profit. With the additional finance Innocent were able to diversify their product range and widen the scope of their business. This successful turnover led them into creating and developing new products and penetrating into different markets such as, â€Å"Yoghurt thickies† â€Å"Juicy waters† â€Å"Wedged shaped cartons† –   Fitting neatly into lunchboxes (entered into the children’s market in 2005) In relation to the new products that Innocent have introduced it is possible to use the Ansoffs matrix in order to analyse the development of products into different markets and place them into the categories within the matrix. Source: tutor2u.net Product Development Kids smoothies – Instead of appealing to cash rich time poor consumers they have started to bring out new products for kids Innocent Smoothie The first product that Innocent launched Juicy waters Competing with healthy waters such Market Development Yoghurt Thickies Innocent Smoothies Trying out new flavours with new fruits Diversification Vegetables Trying to move into the fresh vegetables sector In order for Innocent to be this popular there would have been certain stages that business would have to have gone through in order to be where they are at the present day.   NPD (new product development) would have been a strategy that Innocent used in order to try and see whether or not their first idea was feasible to carry on with.   The table below consists of 6 phases that they would have gone through. Stage Relating to Innocent Strategic logic Alignment First of all Innocent wasn’t an easy business to set up for the three university friends. As they were young and inexperienced they found it extremely difficult to find financial banking for the business they proposed to set up. 20 banks or so had rejected their business plan due to lack of experienced and knowledge of the sector. Finally after much pursuing they were put in touch with a business angel who invested  £250,000 and who now owns 20% of the company. Idea generation The three university students at this stage would have had to look at the current markets and try and find a possible gap that they felt they could penetrate into. Smoothies were a concept they had engaged into. Concept Development Selection Once they had all of this set in place they needed to develop their idea to be different from any other potential competitor products out there, they made the smoothies from 100% fresh fruit which could be preserved for 14days and still get the same fresh taste. Programme Definition The idea of the smoothie had originally come from the trio buying  £500 worth of fresh fruit and making them into smoothies then going onto to sell them at a music festival in London. The customers were asked to put the empty bottles in either one of two bins one named â€Å"yes† and one named â€Å"no†, the question they would be answering was â€Å"do you think we should give up our day jobs to make these smoothies† The yes bin was overwhelming so this gave the three entrepreneurs the push they needed to take their idea forward.   Giving every consumer â€Å"2 of their 5 a day† with one bottle of Innocent. Design Development The design of the smoothies had to be unique and welcoming to the consumers Innocent also wanted to be a company that built on ethics hence the name. Ethics was decided to play a big part of the business by using fresh fruit for example the banana suppliers have rainforest accreditation, they also strived to try and be carbon neutral and using bio degradable packaging. Validation To try and make sure that customers were willing to invest in the product they had the knowledge from the music festival that customers were interested in their product. Pre- Commercialization launch The launch of their product was on a national level at first finding distribution channels through the market and now there product is stocked at many delicatessens, health food shops and coffee bars. First day they sold 24 bottles from a van. Innocent were the first company to start selling smoothies which in turn gave them a competitive advantage of being the first on the scene, this gave them allot more experience over the years of operation than other competitors in the market today, factors which play in favour of Innocent are as follows: Experience Having years of practice in serving the customers exactly with what they want, also taking on board the customer’s views and opinions to try and increase product ranges but also at the same time satisfy the needs of the consumer. Scale benefits- Innocent will definitely have this advantage as they will already have bulk order in place and be able to mass produce quicker than any new upcoming smoothie business. Pre emption of scares sources- Innocent have key technology and product innovation that makes there smoothies last 14 days from the day of production, so consumers will still get that great fresh taste. Reputation- In the years Innocent have been operating they have managed to gather a huge client database through emails and feedback this gives them an advantage as they have started to build relations with the customers a long time ago and by listening to what the consumers want and by responding appropriately they are able to keep the interested and having consumers who are brand loyal. Buyer Switching- As Innocent are big well known business there suppliers would be more than happy to negotiate with them in terms of competitive pricing. 2. Evaluate the extent to which entrepreneurship has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present day As the three young entrepreneurs had a lot to learn about business it was a huge learning curve for them to be thrown into the deep end so fast. Although successful as it is Coca-cola have huge part to play with their  £30m investment into Innocent when sales went down and competitors got tough. Innocent can gain from Coca-Coola distribution channels such as Europe and global distribution something that Innocent wasn’t to geared up with. From being Entrepreneurs they had given 20% away for investment but also taken onboard help and investment from another major drinks company that has been around for a lot longer than they had. On the other hand this could be a partnership between both businesses that could work. Coca-cola can learn how to compete with a whole new style of drinks. Below is a diagram of entrepreneurial growth cycle which the three young students would have found themselves going through in the early stages when Innocent started up. The diagram will give an insight and relate how the founders of Innocent would have proceeded within each step of the diagram. Start up capital For Innocent the start up capital came from on a business angel as the banks had turned them away for being inexperienced, the business angel now owns 20% of Innocent. Growth As the business grew so did the amount of employees by 2007 Innocent has 250 members of staff working within the organisation of Innocent. Maturity Innocent have handled with maturity very well in terms of them diversifying themselves into different markets offering new products aimed at different ages. They have kept revenue on a positive scale by doing this. Innocent are from maturing as they are constantly innovating new ideas and creations and with the help of their loyal customers they are always trying to find ways to impress their consumers. Exit This does not apply to Innocent as of yet as the entrepreneurs are still running the business and the Angel investor still owns 20%. Innocent have done well to not base their business entirely on profits but have been looking at the bigger picture in terms of social and economical responsibilities. This helps them achieve the business they originally set out to create which was â€Å"natural, entrepreneurial, responsible, commercial and generous†. 3. Evaluate the extent to which leadership styles has driven the development of Innocent from its inception to the present day When starting up a new business it is very important to try and get the leadership styles correct as this can make or break a business from the offset. Having a sound leader for a business can not only help with the direction of the business but also the way in which employees react to the style of leadership. If it is possible to get employees on side with the business values this can help increase efficiency and brand image. Being three young university students it was hard for Innocent to give of a professional image at first as the youth of the entrepreneurs was soon noticeable in their approach to business. Their youth style approach consisted of: Dress codes- â€Å"dress informally, often in shorts and bare feet’ Messages- â€Å"funny informal message† on the drink carton labels Employees- â€Å"leaving their personal values at home when they go work† Buildings- â€Å"fruit towers† Office block name The factors above show the laid back autocratic approach that the founders of Innocent adapted to help the business image and help support employees within the workforce to come up with new innovative creative ideas to help push Innocent forward. As the company was growing it was very important for the leadership styles to suit the number of employees so that all work could be done effectively and efficiently. After the auto critic approach as there were no employees at that time the leadership style has slightly changed to democratic as there are now 250 employees, but Innocent still ensures that employees play a role in the business and partial decision making processes, giving the employees freedom at work helps with their participation in fundamental decisions. 4. Evaluate the extent to which both the strategic direction and the method of development chosen are suitable As time went on Innocent found itself in a situation where it needed from help other businesses, this was mainly due to the expensive marketing decision that took them into the European sector this proved to be costly for them and made their financial positioning weaker. This led them into the path of Coca-Cola a large global drinks company that has one of the strongest brands in the world. Coca-Cola currently have operations in over 200 countries and has been around since 1886. The global organisation is currently the leader in the drinks beverage industry. As Innocent have decided to take investment from the global business it is able to use many of the resources that Coca-Cola use for its own products, as well as looking into international investment. There will be certain factors that will drive Innocent in this direction which can be seen in the table below. Source: Yip, Total Global Strategy As it is clear to see the above drivers would help Innocent to move forward internationally with the help of Coca-Cola and their global marketing brand. Objective comparison (Innocent vs. Coca-Cola) As two totally different businesses the vision, values, missions would differ a lot which could cause issues in the working partnership and could push toward a change within either of the organisations.    Mission Vision Values Innocent Make good food The earths favourite little company Be commercialBe generousBe entrepreneurialBe responsibleBe naturalBe generous Coca-Cola To refresh the world in mind, body and spiritTo inspire moments of optimism through our brands and actions, andTo create value and make a difference everywhere we engage ProfitPeoplePortfolioPartnersPlanet LeadershipPassionIntegrityAccountabilityCollaborationInnovation Quality From looking at table above it is clear to see that coca-cola and Innocent both follow similar ways but show their views in different perspectives. Innocent is all about being simple and telling the customers exactly what they are doing where as coca-cola is a much larger organisation therefore they have to try and abide by settling a level platform as they operate globally.   Innocent tend to follow the trends of the UK and try and adapt their changes to suit the UK economy as that is their main source of income, compared to coca-cola who have to look at the issues of the world and try and adapt their company values to suit the mass market.   Looking at the suitability of each company joining together, it may not have been the best idea. Coca-Cola doesn’t have the greatest image of being a healthy drink where as â€Å"Innocent† has a strong backing of being health conscious and the concept of the drink is that it contains â€Å"2 of your 5 a day†. This is an immediate clash for both companies whether Coca-Cola can learn from Innocents approach to being health cautious or whether Coca-Cola have only invested for a return on investment. Strategic capability In order for a business to be able to be able to survive and trade it needs to have the resources and competences at its disposable to help alleviate the downfall of the business. Innocent seem to have many resources which they use effectively to send out a positive message to all its consumers: Intellectual   Customer feedback, letters from consumers, emails letting Innocent know how they feel about their products which in turn gives Innocent new innovative ideas. Financial   Millions made which means investment for expansion and product development, Partnerships, Business angel, 2million Innocent smoothies sold a week bringing in constant revenue Human Creativity in the staff that Innocent employ which is showed throughout their products, 250 employees who all have different skills and knowledge that make Innocent who they are, New staff after working with Coca-Cola brining potentially new ideas to the business. Physical Innocent have all their products that they sell as well as all the development production technology that use to create the drinks. They also have â€Å"Fruity Towers† where they operate from. All the resources that Innocent have proved to be a success for the business in the previous years else they would not be who they are today. Innocent having proven themselves to have good customer relations and doesn’t find it hard to communicate with their consumers this could be because of their critical success factors. Innocent have certain product features in order to keep their consumers engaged with the business such as the â€Å"funny informal messages† or making sure they are letting their customers know what they are drinking is healthy. Innocent’s honesty with the consumer has paid off as they are well engaged with many of their consumers. All the different departments within Innocent all interlink together which helps the business run effectively and efficiently. As Innocent is a simple business its logistics and processes flow easily enabling them to create their products and meet the demands of the consumer, compared to that of Coca-Cola who have vast production lines in 100’s of countries with lots more products. The two different value chains could clash as the organisational structure and technology development as well as process methods differ drastically. The technology that relates to Innocent would be the fact they can keep their smoothie fresh for up to 14 days where as Coca-Cola have developed their packaging to ensure the coke tastes fresh when opened. With Innocent juicy possibly entering into international markets as well as European they could benefit from Coca-Cola’s production methods to ensure they would be able to meet the extra demand on time and of high quality. Also when distributin g abroad with only 14 days of freshness for the smoothie Innocent will have to work with Coca-cola to help distribute their products quick enough so that they can be on the shelve as long as possible before the best before date runs out. Transportation costs on a global scale could creep up significantly for Innocent if Coca-Cola distribution channels are not feasible to use. Increasing costs in certain areas could cause internal conflict for Innocent as there are different investors that have put capital into the business, the decisions off Innocent as a whole can effect more than just the investors, other effected parties would be the employees and suppliers as well as any other stake holder. Rising costs and changes within the processes could cause possible disruption in parts of Innocents infrastructure leaving employees unhappy and investors concerned about expenditure. The stakeholder interests within both organisations will vary and all stakeholders will be expressing their v iews and concerns to the board which in turn could leave Innocent torn between following Coca-Cola on an international level or keeping stake holders happy on a more local scale. Issues that face Innocent and Coca-Cola The merge of the two businesses can cause serious issues that could affect the brand image and stakeholders concerned. Ethics   Innocent have a much more ethical approach to business compared with Coca-Cola, partnering up with a less ethical company could bring down customer views and opinions of Innocent which could damage their international venture. Competition Although both brands are well established within their fields there is always the fear of a new competitor or substitute products being purchased, if Innocent cannot keep the price of their product at a competitive rate consumers may start to look elsewhere. Innocent currently only make 5p per bottle sold this is a low profit margin, with all the additional costs they will have to look closely or look into cutting costs which may cause a backlash on their ethical programmes. Innocent will have to do lots of market research to see if there is a need for their product in other countries, although consumers may be willing to pay the slightly higher price in the UK for a smoothie this may not be the same in international countries depending on the state of their economy. Culture   The culture clashes between Innocent and Coca-Cola vary on a large scale, Innocent have the very laid back approach towards business where as Coca-Cola are a lot more formal and diverse. Management techniques and employee relations differ which could cause conflict in the way both businesses work together in order to get things done. The organisational structure’s of both business would look very different as Innocent only have 250 staff where as Coca-Cola would be in the 000’s making the layering of each level and employee powers differ. Suitability In terms of Innocent and Coca-Cola working together it needs to analysed whether or not it would be feasible for this to take place. Strategic Options Environment Capability Stakeholder/Cultural Influences Consolidation Innocent can maintain their market position within the UK and Europe. Coca-Cola maintains their global positioning. Build on their brand and product strength and new innovative ideas   through the creativity of their employees Stakeholders not wanting to move into the European market as they are comfortable in the markets they operating in currently. Market Penetration Try gaining more market share through promotions or new products. Exploiting the resources available to them which were mentioned previously. Coca-Cola exploiting their vast global connection. Stakeholders happy with the current position of both businesses not wanting any change to occur, thinking they might be at risk of a loss in new strategic directions Product Development Innocent looking at feedback from the customers on acting on it. Coca-Cola taking a leaf out of Innocents book and engaging with their consumers maybe looking into healthy drinks with less sugar contents. Both companies could use each other’s research and development groups giving each business a different perspective on their products. Trying to make the stakeholders take interest in the better of the business in order for growth and expansion. Market Development Innocent and Coca-Cola can both benefit from new products and using existing products to penetrate into different segments of the market Exploiting the current capabilities and products in different market segments. Such as Coca-Cola trying out new kids drinks with an â€Å"Innocent† concept. Trying to help stakeholder understand the need for investment into new areas before current market reach the decline stage. Diversification The markets that Innocent and Coca-Cola have become to   mature/decline Exploit the core competences in new areas Must still be able to meet the needs of the stakeholders at the same time.                     Source: Exploring Corporate strategy pg 337 exhibit 10.6 As we can see from all of the above analysis it would be fair to say that both Innocent and Coca-Cola can learn new ways of managing, developing products, and targeting different sectors, but this could come at a cost of either damaging brand image or leaving behind the ethical issues that both companies value. With reference to appropriate models/frameworks analyse the change in management issues that could arise in implementing this strategy With the merge and assistance of both Innocent and Coca-Cola coming together certain issues could arise in the management styles having knock on effects to other areas of both businesses such as employees and stakeholders the issues that could arise from this have been analysed below using different models. To help try and overcome these issues there is a 8 step process that can be followed in order to and remove potential unwillingness to participate in new operations. Step1- Create a sense of urgency Innocent and Coca-Cola both need to let their businesses know that in order for them to grow and succeed further there visions and strategies need to be fulfilled to the maximum potential. Step2-Pull together the guiding team Making sure that the team has strong beliefs and values of what they are doing to show other people that it is a beneficial move. Step3- Develop the change vision and strategy Making sure that consumers and investors understand what the future will be able to give them and how they will gain from this and how it is different from the past. Step4- Communicate the vision broadly Make sure as many people as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy this could be done through the media as both Coca-Cola and Innocent have media connections. Step5- Empower others to act For example if Innocent had enough money and certain stakeholder such as the business angel did not see the vision that everybody else had seen it may be in the best interest of Innocent to buy certain stakeholders out this would give the entrepreneurs more control and power to drive the company forward with Coca-Cola. Looking at this from Coca-Colas perspective they would have to convince their stakeholders that partnering up with Innocent is the way forward for a better image and more product innovation. Step 6- Quick success Produce sufficient short-term results to give their efforts credibility and to disempower the cynics Step7-Buil momentum and keep pushing Once the first success point has been reached for example Innocent in the international market they need to keep pushing themselves in order for the vision to become a reality. Step8- Create a new culture The old traditions of the business need to become the past and future should be embraced Coca-Cola could do this by leaving the high sugar content drinks behind and getting onboard with Innocent into the healthier beverages, with a strong brand name people may trust the drinks. The method above is a simple 8 step rule of trying overcoming change management issues but time constraints need to be taken into account as it can be a lengthy process trying to get everyone on side.    References http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm innocentdrinks.co.uk/ http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=3Prwx2sWtPsCpg=PA583lpg=PA583dq=DAVID+RAINEY+NPD+MODELsource=blots=vJ6Z37tZKTsig=i8sT69tygn6cSHd3yuYTVRtuwAkhl=enei=5kbYS-WdF4z0mAPezMCnCAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CAYQ6AEwAA#v=onepageqf=false (PAGE 10) coca-cola.co.uk/About_Us/ youtube.com/watch?v=PeORynrUakk Kotter, J., and Rathgeber, H., (2006) Our Iceberg is Melting : Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions Pan Macmillan Ltd, London

The Complex Life of Charles Maurice De Talleyrand

The Complex Life of Charles Maurice De Talleyrand Charles Maurice de Talleyrand (born February 2, 1754, in Paris, France- died May 17, 1838, in Paris),  was a defrocked French Bishop, diplomat, foreign minister, and politician. Alternately renowned and reviled for his tactical skills of political survival, Talleyrand served at the highest levels of the French government for nearly half a century during the reign of King Louis XVI, the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the reigns of Kings Louis XVIII, and Louis-Philippe. Admired and distrusted in equal measure by those he served, Talleyrand has proven difficult for historians to evaluate. While some tout him as one of the most skilled and proficient diplomats in French history, others paint him as a self-serving traitor, who betrayed the ideals of Napoleon and the French Revolution- liberty, equality, and fraternity. Today, the term â€Å"Talleyrand† is used to refer to the practice of skillfully deceitful diplomacy. Fast Facts: Charles Maurice de Talleyrand Known for: Diplomat, politician, member of the Catholic clergyBorn: February 2, 1754 in Paris, FranceParents: Count Daniel de Talleyrand-Pà ©rigord and Alexandrine de Damas dAntignyDied: May 17, 1838 in Paris, FranceEducation: University of ParisKey Accomplishments and Awards: Foreign minister under four Kings of France, during the French Revolution, and under Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte; played a key role in the restoration of the Bourbon monarchySpouses Name: Catherine Worlà ©eKnown Children: (disputed) Charles Joseph, comte de Flahaut; Adelaide Filleul; Marquise de Souza-Botelho; â€Å"Mysterious Charlotte† Early Life, Education, and Career in the Catholic Clergy Talleyrand was born on February 2, 1754, in Paris, France, to his 20-year-old father, Count Daniel de Talleyrand-Pà ©rigord and his mother, Alexandrine de Damas dAntigny. Though both parents held positions in the court of King Louis XVI, neither earned a steady income. Having walked with a limp since childhood, Talleyrand was excluded from his anticipated career in the military. As an alternative, Talleyrand sought a career in the Catholic clergy, bent on replacing his uncle, Alexandre Angà ©lique de Talleyrand-Pà ©rigord, as the Archbishop of Reims, one of the wealthiest dioceses in France. After studying theology at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice and the University of Paris until age 21, Talleyrand went on to become an ordained priest in 1779. A year later, he was appointed Agent-General of the Clergy to the French Crown. In 1789, despite being disliked by the King, he was appointed Bishop of Autun. During the French Revolution, Talleyrand largely abandoned the Catholic religion and resigned as a Bishop after being excommunicated by Pope Pius VI in 1791. From France to England to America and Back As the French Revolution progressed the French government took note of Talleyrand’s skills as a negotiator. In 1791, the French foreign minister sent him to London to persuade the British government to remain neutral, rather than joining Austria and several other European monarchies in the looming war against France. After failing twice, he returned to Paris. When the September Massacres broke out in 1792, Talleyrand, now an endangered aristocrat, fled Paris for England without defecting. In December 1792, the French government issued a warrant for his arrest. Finding himself no more popular in England than in France, he was expelled from the country in March 1794 by British Prime Minister William Pitt. Until returning to France in 1796, Talleyrand lived in the war-neutral United States as a house guest of influential American politician Aaron Burr. During his stay in the United States, Talleyrand lobbied the French government to allow him to return. Always the crafty negotiator, he succeeded and returned to France in September 1796. By 1797, Talleyrand, recently persona non grata in France, had been appointed the country’s foreign minister. Immediately after being appointed foreign minister, Talleyrand added to his infamous reputation of placing personal greed above duty by demanding the payment of bribes by American diplomats involved in the XYZ Affair, which escalated into the limited, undeclared Quasi-War with the United States from 1798 to 1799.   Talleyrand and Napoleon: An Opera of Deceit Partly out of gratitude for his assistance in the 1799 coup d’à ©tat that saw him crowned Emperor in 1804, Napoleon made Talleyrand his minister of foreign affairs. In addition, the Pope overturned his excommunication from the Catholic Church. Working to solidify France’s gains in the wars, he brokered peace with Austria in 1801 and with Britain in 1802. When Napoleon moved to continue France’s wars against Austria, Prussia, and Russia in 1805, Talleyrand opposed the decision. Now losing his confidence in the future of Napoleon’s reign, Talleyrand resigned as foreign minister in 1807 but was retained by Napoleon as vice-grand elector of the Empire. Despite his resignation, Talleyrand did not lose Napoleon’s trust. However, the Emperor’s trust was misplaced as Talleyrand went behind his back, secretly negotiating personally profitable peace agreements with Russia and Austria. Having resigned as Napoleon’s foreign minister, Talleyrand abandoned traditional diplomacy and sought peace by accepting bribes from the leaders of Austria and Russia in return for Napoleon’s secret military plans. At the same time, Talleyrand had started plotting with other French politicians on how to best protect their own wealth and status during the struggle for power they knew would erupt after Napoleon’s death. When Napoleon learned of these plots, he declared them treasonous. Though he still refused to discharge Talleyrand, Napoleon famously chastised him, saying he would â€Å"break him like a glass, but it’s not worth the trouble.† As France’s vice-grand elector, Talleyrand continued to be at odds with Napoleon, first opposing the Emperor’s harsh treatment of the Austrian people after the end of the War of the Fifth Coalition in 1809, and criticizing the French invasion of Russia in 1812. Though he was invited to return to his old office as foreign minister in 1813, Talleyrand refused, sensing that Napoleon was quickly losing the support of the people and the rest of the government. Despite what had become his utter hatred for Napoleon, Talleyrand remained dedicated to a peaceful transition of power. On April 1, 1814 Talleyrand convinced the French Senate to create a provisional government in Paris, with him as president. The next day, he led the French Senate in official deposing Napoleon as Emperor and forcing him into exile the island of Elba. On April 11, 1814, the French Senate, in approving the Treaty of Fontainebleau adopted a new constitution that returned power to the Bourbon monarchy. Talleyrand and the Bourbon Restoration Talleyrand played a key role in the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy. After King Louis XVIII of the House of Bourbon succeeded Napoleon. He served as chief French negotiator at the 1814 Congress of Vienna, securing advantageous peace settlements for France in what was then the most-comprehensive treaty in European history. Later the same year, he represented France in negotiating the Treaty of Paris ending the Napoleonic Wars between France and Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia.   Representing the aggressor nation, Talleyrand faced a daunting task in negotiating the Treaty of Paris. However, his diplomatic skills were credited for securing terms that were extremely lenient to France. When the peace talks began, only Austria, the United Kingdom, Prussia, and Russia were to be allowed to have decision-making power. France and the smaller European countries were to be allowed only to attend the meetings. However, Talleyrand succeeded in convincing the four powers to allow France and Spain to attend the backroom decision-making meetings. Now a hero to the smaller countries, Talleyrand proceeded to secure agreements under which France was allowed to maintain its pre-war 1792 boundaries without paying further reparations. Not only did he succeed in ensuring that France would not be partitioned by the victorious countries, he greatly enhanced his own image and standing in the French monarchy. Napoleon escaped from exile on Elba and returned to France in March 1815 bent on forcibly retaking power. Though Napoleon was ultimately defeated in the Hundred Days, dying in the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, Talleyrand’s diplomatic reputation had suffered in the process. Bowing to the wishes of his quickly expanding group of political enemies, he resigned in September 1815. For the next 15 years, Talleyrand publicly portrayed himself as an â€Å"elder statesman,† while continuing to criticize and scheme against King Charles X from the shadows. Upon learning of Napoleon’s death at Waterloo, Talleyrand cynically commented, â€Å"It is not an event, it is a piece of news.† When King Louis-Philippe I, a cousin of King Louis XVI, came to power after the July Revolution of 1830, Talleyrand returned to government service as ambassador to the United Kingdom until 1834. Family Life Well known for using relationships with influential aristocratic women to advance his political position, Talleyrand had several affairs during his life, including a longtime intimate relationship with a married woman who would eventually become his only wife, Catherine Worlà ©e Grand. In 1802, French Emperor Napoleon, concerned that the French people viewed his foreign minister as a notorious womanizer, ordered Talleyrand to marry the now divorced Catherine Worlà ©e. The couple remained together until Catherine’s death in 1834, after which the now 80-year-old Talleyrand lived with the Duchess of Dino, Dorothea von Biron, the divorced wife of his nephew.   The number and names of the children Talleyrand fathered during his life is not clearly established. Though he may have fathered at least four children, none were known to have been legitimate. The four children most widely agreed on by historians include Charles Joseph, Comte de Flahaut; Adelaide Filleul; Marquise de Souza-Botelho; and a girl known only as â€Å"Mysterious Charlotte.† Later Life and Death After permanently retiring from his political career in 1834, Talleyrand, accompanied by the Duchess of Dino, moved to his estate at Valenà §ay. He would spend his final years adding to his voluminous personal library and writing his memoirs. As he neared the end of his life, Talleyrand realized that as an apostate bishop, he would have to rectify his old disputes with the Catholic Church in order to be given an honorable church burial. With the help of his niece, Dorothà ©e, he arranged with the Archbishop de Quà ©len and abbot Dupanloup to sign an official letter in which he would acknowledge his past transgressions and beg for divine forgiveness. Talleyrand would spend the last two months of his life writing and re-writing this letter in which he eloquently disavowed â€Å"the great errors which [in his opinion] had troubled and afflicted the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, and in which he himself had had the misfortune to fall.† On May 17, 1838, abbot Dupanloup, having accepted Talleyrand’s letter, came to see the dying man. After hearing his last confession, the priest anointed the back of Talleyrand’s hands, a rite reserved only for ordained bishops. Talleyrand passed away at 3:35 in the afternoon of the same day. State and religious funeral services were held on May 22, and on September 5, Talleyrand was buried in the Notre-Dame Chapel, near his chà ¢teau in Valenà §ay. Did You Know? Today, the term â€Å"Talleyrand† is used to refer to the practice of skillfully deceitful diplomacy. Legacy Talleyrand may be the epitome of a walking contradiction. Clearly morally corrupt, he commonly used deceit as a tactic, demanded bribes from persons with whom he was negotiating, and openly lived with mistresses and courtesans for decades. Politically, many regard him as a traitor because of his support for multiple regimes and leaders, some of which were hostile toward each other. On the other hand, as philosopher Simone Weil contends, some criticism of Talleyrand’s loyalty may be overstated, as while he not only served every regime that ruled France, he also served the â€Å"France behind every regime.† Famous Quotes Traitor, patriot, or both, Talleyrand was an artist with a pallet of words he used skillfully to the benefit of both himself and those he served. Some of his more memorable quotes include: â€Å"Whoever did not live in the years neighboring 1789 does not know what the pleasure of living means.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is not an event, it is a piece of news.† (upon learning of Napoleon’s death)â€Å"I am more afraid of an army of one hundred sheep led by a lion than an army of one hundred lions led by a sheep.†And perhaps most self-revealing: â€Å"Man was given speech to disguise his thoughts.† Sources Tully, Mark. Remembering Talleyrand Restorus, May 17, 2016Haine, Scott. â€Å"The History of France (1st ed.).† Greenwood Press. p. 93. ISBN 0-313-30328-2.Palmer, Robert Roswell; Joel Colton (1995). â€Å"A History of the Modern World (8 ed.).† New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing. ISBN 978-0-67943-253-1. . Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Pà ©rigordNapoleon and EmpireScott, Samuel F. and Rothaus Barry, eds., Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution 1789–1799 (vol. 2 1985)Weil, Simone (2002). â€Å"The Need for Roots: Prelude to a Declaration of Duties Towards Mankind.† Routledge Classics. ISBN 0-415-27102-9.

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts Essay - 2

Issues in Global Business and Strategic Concepts - Essay Example Being a major contributor to the economic growth process, Australian mineral extraction sector supports a better quality and standard lifestyle of the citizens. Nevertheless, the research also revealed that there are also few noteworthy negative consequences caused by the increasingly expanding functioning of this sector, affecting especially the indigenous people and the environmental stability of the continent. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Contribution of Mineral Extraction in Australian Economy 4 Benefits and Advantages of Mineral Extraction to Australian Economy 8 Domestic and International Issues in Australian Mining 10 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction Australia is world renowned for its rich and unique natural vegetation, cultural diversity and democratic stability in comparison to other developed nations, which makes it one of the strongest economies in the world (The Associated Press, 2013). Apart from these characteristics, Australia is also appreciated in the global realm for its abundant and diverse natural resources, which has since long been attracting the foreign investors. It includes an extensive collection of copper, gold, uranium, coal, iron ore, natural gas and renewable energy sources (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). Australia, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of AUS$ 1.57 trillion and a wealth of AUS$ 6.4 trillion, can be considered as one of the world’s biggest capitalist economies (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). In rewarding the economy with its leadership position in the global platform, on the basis of its GDP growth, its mineral extraction sector can be regarded to have a major role. For instance, the mining sector in Australia signified approximately 19% of its total GDP as on the fiscal year 2011-2012 (Colebatch, 2012). In Australia, mining ores have a major contribution in boosting up the economy’s growth prospects in comparison to other mineral extraction functions. Based on the above facts it can be affirmed that having low inflation, low government debts, low unemployment rate, highly skilled workforce and a high quality education system, Australia has emerged as the fastest growing regions in the world (McHugh, 2010). Contribution of Mineral Extraction in Australian Economy Major active mines in Australia include the Olympic Dam and Super Pit Gold Mine. Large quantities of minerals are extracted here, which includes iron ore, nickel, aluminium/bauxite, diamond, uranium, silver, gold, copper, zinc, coal, petroleum and natural gas among others. For instance, in 2008, Australia was counted as the world’s third largest supplier of iron ore after China and Brazil, with a supply of 332 million metric tonnes (Jorgenso, 2010). Additionally, Australia was also attributed as the world’s 2nd largest producer of Nickel in 2006 after Russia (Louthean, 2007) and world’s largest producer of Bauxite/Aluminium in 2011 (Bray, 2012). In case of gold, Australia is referred as the 2nd largest producer in the world, after China (McHugh, 2010). Similarly, like gold, Australia is also the 2nd largest producer of Zinc, after China contributing 14% of the total world production of the Zinc (Tolcin, 2010). Correspondingly,

Argue that porn has changed sexuality today Research Paper

Argue that porn has changed sexuality today - Research Paper Example Studies concerning the impacts of pornography in the society focus on various outcomes including potential influences on sexual dysfunction, rape, and difficulties with sexual relationships among others. Individuals can easily access sexually explicit materials from the internet and the effect or influence of this is questionable. Today, exposure to pornography has left many sexually active and independent young women to engage in some sexual acts and do things that they do not want to do in bed which they later regret. According to many studies concerning this same topic, men were found to use sexually explicit materials from the internet as opposed to women. Indeed, watching pornography greatly affect individuals’ sexual behaviours which in turn influences their relationships negatively. Following an extensive research, this paper focuses on the relationship between pornography and sexual aggressiveness among individuals. Even though exposure to pornography has been associat ed with sexual violence and failing relationships, its contribution to sexual enhancement for some people should not be ignored. Individuals exposed to extreme pornographic images are more likely to become addicted or tolerant to such films and this in turn will affect their sexual response. Despite the presence of many studies conducted on this issue, there is still no clear evidence confirming that virtual pornographic images and films can make individuals become addicted to such acts. This is because addiction to porn sex or images influences individuals’ sexual experience in general making them to be sexually dysfunctional since the real sexual experiences do not arouse these addicts. In addition, most people using pornographic materials tend to fantasize about or imitate some of the scenes they have watched in these films in order to get aroused during sexual intercourse with their partners. Pornography is one common way through which

Online Newspaper Vs. Print Version -- essays research papers

The contents of the Southeast Missourian online paper may seem so much more fitting with this day and age, but the traditional newsprint edition still offers their subscribers a lot more information. The print version organizes the newspaper with pictures from various sections located at the top, side, and bottom in order to draw the reader in to the articles and advertisements. The online version is very to the point in its content in the fact that the Southeast Missourian does not have to sell the online version to the public or subscribers, this is seen online with minimal advertisements that deal directly with the surrounding area . With the unappealing online version having only a basic structure to the inner contents along with two pictures, and a lead story, it seems more like a quick reference of news for the person that doesn’t have time to sit back and browse the newsprint edition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Web version displayed a different story from the printed newspaper. Another aspect of the online edition that didn’t appeal to me was the format of the articles. The articles were broken up into lengthy segmented paragraphs; this gets very tedious by having to scroll down the screen to read. Although the contexts of the articles are the same, the newsprint edition is more appealing in the sense that each article has at least one or more pictures relating specifically to it, this helps with the interpretation by referring back to the pictures surrounding...

Innovator of the Modern Art Essay

Jackson became one of the trendsetters of the modern art movement. His technique, materials and perception of art distinguished him from other equally talented 20th century artists. The artworks that he produced represented his enigmatic character. Though many were amused with his painting, there were also those who questioned his artistic talents and knowledge. But he did not let these criticisms compromise his distinct creativity. Pollock was categorized as an Abstract Expressionist artist primarily because of his infamous drip paintings including the â€Å"Convergence†. These drip paintings were painted on a large canvas on the floor. According to Pollock, painting on the floor made him feel closer to his painting. He was able to work on the different angles of the canvass by walking around it. This unusual technique was considered by Pollock as a way of being a part of the painting not just the typical creator of it. The act of letting the the paint drip into the canvass generated prolonged and continuous lines in which the paintings were dominated by white and black and sometimes there were hints of exciting bold colors. In addition, the drips of the paint were able to create a three dimensional effect making it tactile and visually appealing. With regards to the choice of materials, Pollock utilized uncommon paints and brushes. His paints were industrial and household paints that he described as the â€Å"natural growth out of a need † (Boddy-Evans, 2008, What Paint Did Pollock Use? ). Meanwhile, the brushes were deteriorated and hard to let the paint naturally drip down the canvas. Pollock explained his painting method as â€Å"new needs need new techniques† meaning the modern age requires new approaches to reflect its real essence (Boddy-Evans, 2008, What Paint Did Pollock Use? ). References Boddy-Evans, M. ( 2008). What Paint Did Pollock Use?. About Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://painting. about. com/od/colourtheory/a/Pollock_paint. htm.

Knowledge Management A Competitive Advantage Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2704 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example?   In the twenty first century landscape with all its uncertainty and dynamism, many firms are competing in a complex and  challenging environment which is being transformed by many factors ranging from globalization, technological  development and increasingly rapid diffusion of technology, to the development and use of knowledge (Hitt, Keats, and  DeMarie, 1998).  As such, the foundation of organizational competitiveness has shifted from an emphasis on physical and tangible  resources to knowledge (Wong and Aspinwall, 2005) and managing knowledge-based resources has become the key for  sustaining competitive advantage (CA) and superior performance (Grant, 1996b; Grover and Davenport, 2001; Jackson,  Hitt, and DeNisi, 2003; Sharkie, 2003; and Teece, Pisano, and Shuen, 1997). To deal with this enhanced  dynamism and uncertainty of the business environment, one of the current strategic philosophies assis ting firms to develop strategic capabilities is the knowledge management. It helps the organizations to systematically acquire,  create, share, and use knowledge so as to develop, renew, and exploit their  knowledge-based resources, thereby allowing them to be proactive and adaptable to external  changes and attain competitive success. . Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Knowledge Management A Competitive Advantage Business Essay" essay for you Create order Review literature:- Under the light of the previous researches, some researchers  (Davenport and Prusak, 1998; (Zack, 1999) (Alavi Leidner, 2001) noted that competitive advantage is  realized only when the organizations tracking methods  and ways are efficient and distinctive and one of those  ways is through the knowledge management of the organization  that have achieved competitive advantage not for  a specific period, but a long term.  (Gupta Mcdaniel, 2002) studied knowledge management  and competitive advantage by examining the  vital link between the management of knowledge in  contemporary organizations and the development of a  sustainable competitive advantage. The used variables  are conceptualized in terms of organizational effectiveness,  efficiency, core competency, costs; knowledge  acquirement, knowledge filtering, knowledge configuration,  knowledge dissemination and knowledge ap plication. (Goh, 2005) also identified that the field of knowledge  management has emerged strongly as the next source of  competitive advantage. (Ismail Ong, 2008). Emphasized that firms can  achieve the sustainable competitive advantage by information  technology facilities. He sees that even if a firm  owned the most sophisticated information technology  facilities which are impossible for the competitors to  imitate or substitute, and for sure it is rare, but if there is  no knowledgeable personnel in the organization, or the knowledgeable personnel in the organization is not willing  to utilize these facilities, these facilities would not generate  any value to the organization. Obviously, to achieve  sustainable competitive advantage, knowledge, willingness  to use operations and availability of facilities must  co-exist.  Hence, the question before the organizations is how shoul d they  develop a knowledge management system to coordinate  people, technology and infra-structure to create  advantages competitiveness and sustainability in  business environments? Knowledge:- Knowledge is a different term from data and information. Data is simply raw facts, measurements etc. Information is organized or processed data that is timely and accurate. Knowledge as defined by (Tiwana, 2000) is the actionable (relevant) information available in the right format, at the right time, and at the right place for decision making. For example, sales of a particular year will be simply data, if we process the sales data and find sales in the north region is more, it will be information. By applying our experience we can conclude that south region requires more marketing efforts than north, it is knowledge. Knowledge is a valuable source for the organization because it helps the organization in taking important decisions in the rapid changing business environment. Knowledge is dynamic in nature. This implies that todays knowledge may well become tomorrows ignorance if an organization fails to update knowledge as environmental conditions change. Definition of Knowledge Management:- Knowledge management is an emerging concept and has got many different definitions. The term knowledge management was first introduced in a 1986 in a European management conference. Alternative definitions have been proposed since that attempt to capture the complexities of knowledge management. The 20  American Productivity and Quality Center defined knowledge management as the strategies and processes of identifying, capturing and leveraging knowledge. (knapp, 1998) defined knowledge management as the art of transforming information and intellectual assets into enduring value for an organizations clients and its people. Darroch also defined knowledge management as the process that creates or locates knowledge and manages the sharing, dissemination, and use of knowledge within the organization.   The traditional definitions of knowledge management focused only on the knowledge that is recognized and already articulated in some form. However, increasingly, knowledge m anagement is also incorporating the managing of important tacit knowledge (Sabherwal    Becerra-Fernandez, 2003). Davenport and Prusak (1998) defined knowledge   management as the management of a corporations knowledge through a systematic and   organizational specified process for acquiring, organizing, sustaining, applying, sharing,   and renewing both tacit and explicit knowledge from employees to improve   organizational performance and to create value.   Wiig (1994) suggested that knowledge management in an organization must be   considered from three perspectives, each with different scopes and purposes: (a) a  business perspective focusing on why, where, and to what extent the organization must   invest in or exploit knowledge, and which strategies, products and services, alliances,   acquisitions, or divestments should be considered from a knowledge-related point of view;   (b) a management perspec tive focusing on determining, organizing, directing, and   monitoring knowledge-related activities required to achieve the desired business strategies and objectives; and (c) a hands-on operational perspective focusing on   applying the professional skill to conduct explicit knowledge-related work and tasks.   In fact, knowledge management is a principle that is aimed at satisfying and exceeding the customers expectations (Keskin, 2005). Knowledge management is a relatively new business philosophy. The goal of knowledge management is to identify, capture, store, maintain, and deliver useful knowledge in a meaningful form to anyone who needs it, anyplace and anytime, within an organization. Knowledge management is about sharing and collaborating at the organizational level. Knowledge management has the potential to revolutionize the way we share expertise, make decisions, and conduct business. History of knowledge management:- Knowledge management era started with the use of different programs which include on-the-job discussions, formal apprenticeship,  discussion forums, corporate libraries, professional training and mentoring programs. The use of computers in the second half of 20th century brought a revolution in the knowledge management field. It resulted in the specific  adaptations  of technologies such as  knowledge bases,  expert systems,  knowledge repositories,  group decision support systems,  intranets, and  computer-supported cooperative work  which developed the emerging knowledge management field to a large extent. In 1999, the term  personal knowledge management  was introduced which refers to the management of knowledge at the individual level (Wright, 2005). In terms of the enterprise, early collections of case studies recognized the importance of knowledge management dimensions of strategy, proce ss, and measurement (Morey, Maybury Thuraisingham 2002. Recently with the use of the  Web 2.0, the concept of Knowledge Management has taken into consideration the participation of people and  emergence. This line of evolution is termed  Enterprise 2.0  (McAfee 2006). However, there is an ongoing debate and discussions (Lakhani McAfee 2007) as to whether  Enterprise 2.0  is just a fad that does not bring anything new or useful or whether it is, indeed, the future of knowledge management (Davenport T. , 2008) Knowledge management cycle:- The  knowledge  management  cycle  as  given  by  Turban  involves  six  steps.  To  keep  the  knowledge  management  system  effective,  the  knowledge  has  to  be  updated  with  time.  The  knowledge  management  cycle  works  as  follows:- Create  knowledge:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  knowledge  creation  is  the  generation  of  new  ideas,  insights  or  routin.  It  involves  developing  new  ways  of  doing  things  or  develops  knowhow.  Sometimes  new  knowledge  is  brought  in  or  sometimes  own  knowledge  is  improved . Capture  knowledge:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  new  knowledge  must  be  identified  as  valuable  and  be  represented  in  a  reasonable  way. Refine  knowledge:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  new  knowledge  must  be  placed  in  context  so  that  it  is  reused.  That  is  where  human  insights  must  be  captured  along  with  explicit  facts. Store  knowledge useful  knowledge  must  be  stored  in  knowledge  repository  so  that  others in  an  organization  can  access  it. Manage  knowledge:  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  a  knowledge  repository  must  be  updated  so  that  it  holds  the  current  data  that  is  relevant  and  accurate. Create knowledge Capture knowledge Refine knowledge Store knowledge Manage knowledge Disseminate knowledge Disseminate  knowledge: knowledge  must  be  made  available  in  a  right  format  to  anyone  in  the  organization  who  needs  it,  anywhere  and  anytime.   (turban, sharda, delen) Benefits  of  knowledge  management:- Within  the  usage  of  Knowledge  Management,  the  company  can  have  following  advantages:- Innovation  with  the  help  of  flow  of  ideas: The  knowledge  management  programs  can  allow  employees  and  departments  to  see  the  overall status  of  the  company  about  a  specific  development  field.  With  the  help  of  this  ability,  new  ideas  and  innovative  techniques  can  be  emerged  with  respect  to  the  existing  knowledge. Improving  the  customer  satisfaction  by  reducing  the  responseƚ  time: With  the  help  of  the  Knowledge  Management  usage,  the  employees  of  the  company  will  be  able  to  find  the  opportunity  of  appropriate  solutions  to  customers  with  an  acceptable  response  time  because  KM  will  allow  them  to  find  the  necessary  information  about  the  demand  of  the  customer  more  relatively  and  rapidly. Increasing  the  revenues: With  the  help  of  the  KM,  the  necessary  product  and  service  that  the  company  provides  will  be  locate d  in  the  market,  with  the  help  of  the  rapid  interdepartmental  communication  to  use  the  right  information  at  the  right  time. Keeping  employee  dynamic: The  employees  are  important  to  be  kept  alive  during  critical  transactions.  With  the  help  of  Knowledge  Management,  the  information  system  that  contains  the  functions  of  KM  can  record  the  value  of  every  employee  and  allows  managers  to  reward  them  if  they  have  critical  additions  to  the  business   process  transactions  of  the  company. Process  reduction: With  the  help  of  KM,  the  costs  and  amount  operations  can  be  reduced  by  eliminating  the  redundancy  of  process  phases  and  unnecessary  ones. Sustained  competitive  advantage:   KM  can  allow  companies  to  increase  the  importance  of  intellectual  properties  and  knowledge-based  assets  that  can  be  costly  to  imitate  n  the  market  that  the  company  locates  in.  This  can  help  the  company  to  have  a  com petitive  advantage  in  a  long-term  period. Knowledge  management  can  improve  the  total  efficiency,  productivity  and  revenues  in  any  business  transaction  if  it  can  be  used  well. Competitive  advantage:-  As  the  global  competition  becomes  increasingly  fierce,  how  to  achieve  competitive  advantage  starts  obtaining  more  attention. (Barney J. , 1991) noted  that  when  an  organization  is  implementing  a  value  creating  strategy  not  simultaneously  being  implemented  by  any  current  or  potential  rivals,  then  the  organization  has  a  competitive  advantage.  And  when  other  organizations  are  unable  to  copy  the  benefits  of  this  strategy,  it  confirms  that  the  organization  has  a  sustainable  competit ive  advantage.  In  2008,  Barney  distinguished  two  types  of  competitive  advantage:  temporary  and  sustainable  competitive  advantage.  According  to  him,  competitive  advantage  typically  results  in  high  profits,  but  these  profits  attract  competition,  and  competition  limits  the  duration  of  competitive  advantage  in  most  cases,  therefore,  most  competitive  advantage  is  temporary.  On  the  other  hand,  some  competitive  advantages  are  sustainable  if  competitors  are  unable  to  imitate  the  sourceÃ⠀šÃ‚  of  advantage  or  if  no  one  conceives  a  better  offering.  Furthermore,  refers (Al-hawary hani, 2009) to  competitive  advantage  as,  to  create  some  barriers  that  make  firms  performance  imitation  difficult.  That  is,  since  the  competitive  advantage  is  at  the  heart  of  firms  performance,  it  should  protect  itself  from  being  despoiled  and  assimilate  new  sources  of  technologies,  skills,  and  core  competencies. Michael  porters  concept  of  competitive  advantage:- According  to  porter,  when  a  firms  profits  are  more  than  the  industry,  its  said  to  have  a  competitive  advantage.  Michael  porter  identified  two  types  of  competitive  advantage:- cost  advantage differentiation  advantage Cost  advantage  is  enjoyed  by  the  firm  when  it  produces  the  same  product  as  its  competitors  but  at  a  lower  cost.  Differentiation  advantage  results  when  a  firm  delivers  benefits  that  exceed  those  of  competing  products.  Thus  a  competitive  advanta ge  enables  the  firms  to  deliver  superior  value  to  customers  and  superior  profits  for  itself.  Knowledge  management  a  competitive  advantage:- Knowledge  management  helps  in  gaining  competitive  advantage  in  the  following  ways:- Knowledge  management  can  Increase  productivity  of  an  organization  by  applying  effective  organizational  knowledge  management.  By  having  your  knowledge  processes  in  a  structure,  it  will  allow  those  with  the  necessary  knowledge  to  quickly  share  or  apply  it  and  you  can  reduce  wasteful  meetings  and  inefficient  knowledge  bottlenecks.  This  will  help  you  get  more  work  hours  from  your  em ployees  and  create  a  cost  advantage. The  technological  solutions  can  be  applied  in  an  organization  for  knowledge  dispersal  within  an  organization.  By  offering  easier,  more  intuitive  ways  for  your  employees  to  create  and  share  knowledge,  your  company  can  produce  more  and  better  knowledge  than  your  competitors,  thus  gaining  a  quality  advantage. Foster  and  reward  the  sharing  of  knowledge.  Whether  creating  master/apprentice  relationships  or  monetarily  rewarding  those  who  share  knowledge  within  your  company,  take  steps  to  ensure  that  every  employee  is  trying  to  share  useful  knowledge. Its  the  knowledge  management  tools  that  help  the  organization  in  identifying  the  unmet  needs.  Having  a  proactive  approach  to  satisfy  those  needs  is  definitively  going  to  provide  an  organization  a  competitive  advantage.  Good  knowledge  management  also  allows  in  identifying  the  niche  markets  and  by  addressing  the  needs  in  these  niche  marketsà ‚  is  going   to  prove  one  of  the  attribute  of  your  organization  success. Almost  all  organizations  are  using  the  knowledge  management  to  remain  competitive  in  market.  Taking  the  example  of  WallMart,  the  worlds  largest  retail  corporation  ,  it  views  the  knowledge  management  not  only  as  a  way  of  enhancing  profitability  and  financial  growth  but  also  as  a  way  of  remaining  competitive  in  a  turbulent  world  of  businesses.  It  has  invested  a  lar ge  amount  of  money  in  building  a  strong  knowledge  management  system.  It  is  because  of  the  effective  km  system  that  it  has  emerged  as  the  worlds  largest  corporation.  WallMart  employs  different  tools  of  knowledge  management  to  remain  competitive  in  market.  Starting  from  the  simple  tools  of  knowledge  management  like  onthejob  discussions,  formal  apprenticeship,  discussion  forums,  corporate  libraries,  professional  training  and  mentoring  programs  to  the  advanced  technologiesƚ  like  knowledge  bases,  expert  systems,  knowledge  repositories,  group  decision  support  systems,  intranets,  and  computersupported  cooperative  work,  it  uses  each  and  every  technology  of  knowledge  management  to  have  a  competitive  edge  in  the  market.  The  knowledge  management  helped  the  WallMart  in  cutting  operational  costs  and  building  up  a  value  for  its  shareholders.  The  employees  in  WallMart  are  very  much  satisfied  with  the  knowledge  management  system  functional  in  almost  all  units.  With  the  tools  of  knowledge  management  the  best  employees  in  WallMart  are  chosen  and  accordingly  rewards  are  given.  TheWallMart  stores  reliable  knowledge  management  skills  have  resulted  in  enhanced  efficiency  in  service  delivery  and  customer  care  as  well  as  development  of  great  competition.Hence,  an  effective  knowledge  management  system  is  one  of  the  driving  forces  for  WallMart  for  its  great  success.  The  other  examples  that  proved  thatà ‚  effective  knowledge  management  can  help  achieve  organization  goals  and  help  in  remaining  competitive  in  market  are  sportswear  giants  Adidas  and  Nike. (KNOWLEDGE-MANAGEMENT-A-CASE-STUDY-OF-WALLMART) Conclusion:- Competitive  advantage  is  at  the  heart  of  a  firms  performance  in  todays  challenging  and  rapidly  changing  environment.  To  secure  the  competitive  advantage,  firms  should  be  able  to  continuously  acquire,  create  and  disseminate  knowledge  across  various  levels  of  the  organization.  Knowledge  is  central  to  strategy  formulation  and  Implementation,  knowledge  management  has  become  a  key  strategic  task  facing  managers  for  achieving  success  in  todays  complex  and  dynamic  environmentsà ‚  (Muthusamyand  Palanisamy,  2004).  The  shifting  winds  of  change  in  todays  business  environment,  where  the  Market  place  is  increasingly  competitive  and  the  rate  of  innovation  is  rising,  have  made  Enterprises  realize  that  knowledge  is  their  key  asset.  It  is  pointed  out  that  the  most  valuable  Assets  of  the  21st  Century  enterprise  is  its  knowledge  and  knowledge  workers(Sunman  and  Kruger,  2004).  It  is  argued  that  knowledge  is  displacing  natural  resources,à ‚  capital  and  labor  as  the  basic  Economic  resource  in  the  new  economy.  Knowledge  mostly  the  tacit  knowledge  is  hard  to  imitate  so  effectively  managing  such  type  of  knowledge  in  an  organization  is  definitely  going  to  lead  the  organization  to  a  place  which  for  others  will  be  difficult  to  achieve.  Knowledge  management  helps  us  in  identifying  unmet  needs  in  the  market.  Having  a  proactive  approach  to  satisfy  these  needs  is  going  toà ‚  place  your  organization  above  all  in  the  turbulent  competitive  business  environment.  So,  every  Organization  should  start  thinking  of  a  sound  knowledge  management,  because  in  a  knowledge-driven  economy  its  the  only  source  of  achieving  success  over  others.